Yes, it's that time of year. Young girls across the country are descending on doorsteps to sell Samoa's, Thin Mints, and Do-Si-Do's. That's right. It's GIRL SCOUT COOKIE season.
My daughter just turned six and is a Daisy (Girl Scout in training). This is her first year as a Daisy. She was really excited and very motivated to sell cookies. I am not sure if it was a curse or a boon to be the daughter of the CEO of an Internet sales & marketing company. I know some of you are rolling your eyes at this, but I truly believe that "selling" is one of the great skills that EVERYONE should know, understand and embrace. (I believe in life and this economy, you are either creating value by making things like engineers or you know how to sell - products, services, yourself, your company to customers and investors). We spent the last two weeks learning about creating lists, cold calling (relatives & friends), leaving compelling messages to get call backs, and going door to door (to neighbors accompanied by parents). She hit her goal. i am very proud.
These are the key sales lessons I learned from my six year daughter:
1) Have a Very Clear Goal: She wanted the stuffed animal giraffe at the 155 cookie box level. She saw that giraffe in the Girl Scout brochure, she didn't really understand what she needed to do to get it, but she knew she wanted it.
2) Be Tenacious & Make Sacrifices: Once she decided she wanted the stuffed giraffe and knew it took selling 155 boxes, she decided she she would do what it took to get it even if it meant sacrificing play time, skiing, and TV time. Every free moment for the past several weeks was spent selling cookies.
3) Make a Targeted List: Before she started, she created a list of "targets" of relatives, friends and neighbors. We started with an initial list of obvious friends and relatives. We then used online services like FaceBook, LinkedIn and Evite to brainstorm other "friendly" faces and warm, receptive contacts she could contact.
4) Create a Script & Practice: She developed a really simple call script and practiced with me and my wife. She then started calling relatives. She then moved to family friends and neighbors and kept working on her presentation. (She had a 100% close rate if she could get someone on the phone. People were surprised to get a call from a six year old.)
5) Optimize Your Voice Mail: She tested one or two voicemail scripts and got some reasonable call backs (who wouldn't return a call from that voice).
6) Be Fearless: This is a funny one. I think we learn fear and embarrassment as we get older. She may not know better, but she was fearless in making calls and selling door to door to neighbors. In fact, she was SO EXCITED by the giraffe that she was dragging my wife or me out to go door to door everyday that the sun was shining. Weird to be that motivated, but six year olds have energy and are motivated by stuffed animals.
7) Get Referrals from Friends, Family, and Customers: Sarena hit a roadblock at about 100 boxes. We didn't think she would get to her goal of 155 boxes. She ended up getting some really good referrals from family friends who helped put her over the top. Of course, she wasn't afraid to ask for a referral. Also, some friends of friends saw her selling cookies and just walked over and purchased as well.
8) Be Enthusiastic: When you are excited, your prospects and customers will be excited for you. Most of us sell the same product or service every day and can lose the nervousness or excitement of that first sale. Generally if we are tired or bored with our products, services or jobs, it will show in our voice, posture, and presentations. Stay fresh and excited when you pick up that phone or enter the room. Being nervous is a good thing as it shows that you care.
Of course, it helps to be six years old and it helps to be selling Girl Scout cookies.
But be it selling cars, real estate, securities on the stock market, or yourself in job interview, there's a lot you can learn from the fresh eyes of a six year old.
Nikesh Parekh
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Hi Niki - Great post! Clearly identifying goals is so important whether selling 155 boxes of cookies or a home a week. It doesn't hurt to keep your eye on the goal whether it be a $$ amount or a stuffed animal. Congrats to your daughter.
Very true our business does compare to cookie sales quite well.
Cute little girl scouts selling great cookies... so much easier to do infront of the grocery store than me standing there.... LOL Great post, good correlation
It's not the 6 year olds that make the Thin Mints sell...
Aside from the humor... nicely written post.
Wow, what a great analogy, Nikesh. So glad she earned her giraffe, and it sounds like a few other lessons.
Nikki, it is a great reminder on how to guide young or old in the way of good sales...i'm sure the giraffe will be treasured!
Niki....what a great story. I have some girl scouts in my house but they are older and not as motivated by the giraffe as when they were six! And of course, it makes it easier to sell when you are selling a product like Thin Mints!
Love this post. What a great reminder!
Love the analogy...fits for all occasions; whether it is Girl Scout cookies or selling homes. In my case waiting for the next home inspection booking call to come.
C&C
Nikesh, love this post... "Can't" doesn't seem to sway a six year old, does it?
Nikesh, you can't go wrong if you follow that list.
However, if I was you I would keep a real close eye on her, she might be looking at your job the same way she looked at that giraffe :) :) :)
Thank your daughter for writing my business plan! :-)
My 6-year old granddaughter sold me cookies I didn't even want! I was high on her targeted list and in the middle of her niche. I definitely relate to this post. Here's to all those fabulous 6-year salesgirls!
Great Post - and don't fool yourself, those girlscouts are some of the best sales agents around!
Love the sign and need that for my house! Except, it could say, unless you're a kid. We do buy from neighbor kids. I mean, who can say no to a kid??
Great lessons. Sort of along the lines of the book "Everything I need to know I learned in Kindgergarten." Of course, with cookies as your "commodity" there is a slight advantage.
This is a great post that sales teams should be using nationwide, no matter the product!
And if you have the right product, it will sell. Just ask Billy Jays!
Nikesh, your daughter surely has received much of her inspiration from her father!
There is much to be learned from the young!
Physical representations of goals are important and powerful things.
I think I personally need to do more of that with myself and my team.
Exceed my goals and treat myself to something cool.
I was with my son in December selling mistletoe for the Cub Scouts. I was teaching him to smile and have a great attitude when soliciting funds. He began to enjoy the day and we received much money for a great cause. Make it happen
You got another sales person in the family. Good news..
Being motivated to reach your goals is a key thing. The drive empowers the close of a transaction.
Niki- Where was she when I was selling GS cookies so very many years ago (I think they were either 50 or 75 cents a box. I could have used her as my mentor. This is a great experience whether or not she goes into sales.
Niki...
Well stated and quite inspirational. Meeting goals takes a lot more than luck. That being said I have already gone through 3 boxes of GS cookies and have 3 more to go!
Niki, that's awesome! How long before you put her to work on the ActiveRain phones, making more RainMakers? Part time, of course.
Niki,
Fun analogy. We ordered six boxes of Thin Mints EACH from 5-6 girls. They are so addictive. The good news is now I've got teenagers and they disappear almost overnight. I have also learned they freeze very well and folks LOVE you if you pull them out at July 4th as a snack. That is of course, if the teenagers haven't found them first:-)
Enjoy those Daisy & Girl Scout years, we are just getting back from our first day of exploring college campuses! How time flies, and yes, knowing how to market is critical. Today, our kids are student ambassadors at their schools, "selling" their schools to other prospective students and parents.
All the best, Michelle
Niki:
What a great tribute to your daughter. She sounds like she is a very determine 6 year old. And she accomplished her goals. Not everyone can say that.
Hi Nikesh. I love it when young girls are tenacious. They are not jaded yet at that age LOL which helps a lot. It's great when anyone reaches a goal they set their sight on.
Niki - This was a great post. I too was a ruthless girl scout cookie seller too (and I won't tell you what decade that was....) That enthusiasm flows into her adult life will be such a good thing! And I love your photo....I plan to steal it.....The Thin Mints are my favorite!
Seriously Cameron, so true! selling it all personality. Some are just born with it. I am not. I tell you like it is, and tell you what's wrong with the way you are currently doing it and for some reason that works. I am no a natural born seller but I can be honest and straight forward. Like Mad Men Don Draper said, "Jesus either lives in your heart or he doesn't" It is or it's not. HA!
have they arrived yet? I have many boxes ordered... I'm so ready.
We're all "selling" something, whether it's real estate, our services or something else. Your list includes great suggestions for whatever you have on the market.
Gretchen
My daughter (now a Brownie) has sold the most cookies in her troop in the last 4 years!! I think I can learn a thing or two from her about sales too! Great post!!
I sold Girl Scout cookies . . . they pretty much sell themselves. The secret is . . . they only sell them once per year. Only once. That's the gimmick. It's a good one.
I have no local Girl Scout who has asked me for a cookie order yet.
I was second in troop sales from memory.
All you have to do is take the order and then ask how many more for the freezer to enjoy later or to give as gifts all year long!
Sounds as though she did way way better than the little children who come up and say "you don't want to buy any cookies do you?" Sounds like she was a real go getter for that giraffe.
That is so cute! Now, I must ask, while she was dragging you house to house, did YOU drum up any business? What better time than with an adorable six year old in tow? lol
Hi Niki--I am delighted that your daughter has learned a valuable lesson about setting and achieving goals. Good reminders for those of us who aren't selling those delightful products. If one doesn't set a goal and work it it won't happen.
Wow! Thanks for all the great comments. I did not realize this post got featured (as I wrote it a little while ago).
The skill of selling is a great life skill. I hope she picks it up.
Regardless, if she can set goals and achieve them, I will be a proud papa. I am already a proud papa.
My 8 year old is selling as well. . and I taught her to say. . "would you like to order 2 or 4 boxes today?" after ending her small presentation that we practiced as well. . I love it!
That's good advice for anyone in sales. I particularly like Be Enthusiastic. Like what you do and let people know it!
Great blog Nikesh! Very well said and a lot of great tips there.
You're right that kids can be fearless when asking for what they want. They haven't been trained yet what rejection is. Great job Serena!
Hi Niki - Congratulations on hitting her goal, is Sarena available to do some consulting? :o) I love the tenacity of a child, we can all learn from it.
Hi Niki, congatulations on having a such a smart, clever young person. You still have some years left before she starts using all these fine skills on her parents when she wants what she wants!
Niki, nice that you were able to help her develop a plan and scripts - bet most kids don't get that at home! Of course, the motivating stuffed giraffe is the key, isn't it?
Niki -- Looks like you taught her well! What a great sales plan. Now just where are my do-si-dos?
This is a great post! I love it! Now I am craving some good ol' girl scout cookies. This is motivation to get goinging on my SOI and bringing in those new clents and start booking appointments etc.
Thanks. :)
I love thin mints and 6 year olds definitely know how to do it.
Niki - It amazes me what we can learn from watching our kids. Their enthusiasm is contagious. And, as you say, it's hard to pass up the Thin Mints.
You better be careful, she will be recruited to sell ocean front property and you'll be left behind! ☺
I have a granddaughter, who is a Girl Scout, so you know I love your sign. But I'm also hooked on Thin Mints, so I find some dark humor in Cameron's #4 label of ingredients:-)
Bookmarked! Thanks for a GREAT post.
Mike in Tucson